We’re barely in Minnesota when we have a Wisconsin breakfast – cheese to begin with, cheese on the eggs and cheese on the potatoes. Fortunately no cheese on the pancakes. What will it be like in Wisconsin? Nothing but cheese? --- Once again some rain before we leave – and rain after I’m at the Holiday Inn in the afternoon. Some of the riders obviously got rained on. --- This was the “fast day” we’ve been looking for. Downhill and tailwind most of the day. I did my first sub six hour (riding time) century. Only one century to go, although tomorrow’s ride is 97 miles. --- Smooth roads again today. The only downside is that a detour routed additional traffic on our road so lots of traffic for a while. But every car and truck I saw gave us a lot of room.
One difference in Minnesoto: we’re seeing more towns, closer together. But some of them are damn small; I saw a sign yesterday for a town with population 6; who’s going to be mayor this year?
A week ago Mike told us “When you road into Casper (120 miles with headwinds) you demonstrated that, physically, you can do any ride we throw at you. "From now on it's mental, getting up every morning and getting on the saddle.” In OVER THE HILLS David Lamb had thoughts on the physical vs the mental:
“The challenge was no longer physical, it was mental. My body had started to respond obediently, like a machine, pedaling on and on, day after day, week after week, through valleys,across plains, up hills. It did whatever it was told to do. Bicycling six or eight hours a day was simply what I did.”
So far my feelings are more like David's, I don't have a problem being in the saddle day after day, it's what I expect. In fact, I'm sure I'll miss it when it's over. And I will be taking a break when it’s over; three days after I return to Dallas I’m having knee surgery and will be off the bike for a while.
Day 30, 102 miles, 670 feet climbing, 6.2 hs, 2,235 miles so far
20 days remaining, 1,468 miles remaining
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